500 Days (15 page)

“
No, but I’m going to tell
you you’re more predictable than you think you are. You have this
standoff attitude so you don’t have to worry about anyone screwing
with your master design.” She crossed her arms angrily. I knew I
had her. “You’re one of those girls who grew up with the perfect
upbringing. Parents still married, happy childhood, support from
family to go for your dreams. Everything in your perfect existence
was handed to you on a silver platter.”

“
It’s obvious you know
nothing,” she spat.

I felt her walls closing, but I needed to
know more. I wasn’t going to let her walk out of here, not yet.
“Then why don’t you tell me?”

“
That so-called family you
talk about doesn’t exist. I grew up without parents. I was raised
by my brother Jack because our dad was killed when I was eight and
my mom wasn’t around. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow
or the next day, but I do know I’m not going to live my life in
fear of the unknown. I know what I want. I don’t see anything wrong
with that.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I really
was an ass. I noticed her eyes were a little wet, like she was
fighting the urge to cry. Fuck.

She stood up abruptly. “Take me home.”

“
Alex I –”

She held up a hand to stop me. “Just please
take me home.”

I did as she asked not wanting to upset her
more. We rode to her place in silence. She practically jumped out
of the car before I even pulled into the parking lot. “Alex wait,”
I grabbed her arm to keep her from bolting. I shifted so I was
facing her. She gave me the look of death. I let go of her arm, but
she stayed. “Alex, look, it’s obvious we don’t get along.”

“
What tipped you off?” she
said sarcastically.

I bit back the insult on my tongue and tried
to contain my anger. “What I’m trying to say is, I have a feeling
Colton and Declan are going to be inseparable. So for the sake of
our friends and my sanity, I think we should call a truce. “

“
I kind of like the idea
of driving you crazy.” A small smile spread across her lips. I
couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “But I agree with keeping the
peace for our friends.”

“
Agreed. So no more
insults or arguments?”

She bit her lip, unsure. What I wouldn’t
give to be nibbling on that lip right now. I shifted in my seat. I
must have had one too many shots. “Maybe just not as many insults,”
she said. “I can try to pull it back but you kind of make it hard.”
I raised a brow at her. She shrugged.

“
Okay, minimal
insults.”

“
And when this doesn’t
work out we can go back to hating each other?”

“
Yep.” I held out my hand.
“Deal?” She hesitated slightly, but shook my hand. Alex got out of
the car and headed inside without another word. This was going to
be the hardest truce of my life.

Chapter 8

Alexis

I received a text the second I locked the
door behind me.

I’m sorry but Colt and I
thought the only way 4 u n Casper to get along was 2b forced 2
spend time 2gether.

I didn’t even respond back.

I was so pissed at Declan I could barely
form a single coherent thought. I stormed straight to my room and
threw my favorite black and white checkered clutch across the room.
Despite my truce with Casper I was still not happy about having my
night ruined. I was half tempted to tell Casper screw the truce.
Declan could just deal. There were plenty of other fish in the sea
and one date was not going to seal the deal on their
relationship.

I regarded my discarded purse on the floor.
Okay, so maybe I over reacted. Inhaling deeply through my nose I
blew out the hot stream of air, closed my eyes and counted to ten.
I could do this for Declan. She’s done a lot for me and who knows,
this thing with Colton might not work out. First dates were always
exciting. Casper was just jumping ahead in thinking this was going
to be something more than what it was.

**************************************************************************

As much as I hated to
admit it, Casper was right. Declan and Colton
were
inseparable. When Colton wasn’t
at our place she was at his. The most time I saw her was at work or
when she was with Colton at our place. She went to every one of
their shows, leaving me home alone to channel surf and wear down
the buttons on the remote. I wasn’t twenty-one yet so I couldn’t go
along – not that I wanted to – but at least I was able to catch up
on my Netflix, officially making me the biggest loser
ever.

I tried to pick up some
extra nights at work to keep myself busy and make some extra money,
but unfortunately that just meant more time I had to spend with
Casper. We kept up with our truce – sorta. For the most part we
just left each other alone and only would sling the occasional
insult. It started to become a routine. He would usually greet me
with one of his
‘pet names’
and I’d fire one back. I was starting to begin to
enjoy our insult exchanges. I even spent some of my nights alone
just coming up with new ones and got excited when I got to use
them.
I know. I needed a life.

I had more fun when Casper was trying to
take a girl home. I always made it my personal mission to destroy
his attempts to hook up with a girl. Not that I cared if he went
home with anyone or not. I just got enjoyment out of messing up his
chances. The more pissed off he got the happier I was. I finally
was starting to like him, well, I liked torturing him.

Tonight Gus let me go home
early. It wasn’t busy and I was basically spending my time just
standing around staring at the clock. I grabbed my bag from the
back room and ducked under the bar to head out the front exit. “Hey
Katherine,” Casper called. Katherine was one of his
‘pet
names’
for me. When I asked him the meaning behind it he
came in the next weekend with a copy of Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming
of the Shrew’ and threw it at me. Katherine plays the
shrew.

“
Yes,
Petruchio?”

“
Since you scared off my
date I think it’s only right you take her place.” He tried to give
me one of his cocky smiles, but the effort seemed forced. He was
half holding on to the bar. I knew he had one too many but I found
it to be entertaining to watch him strike out. He doesn’t fare so
well with the ladies when he was drunk. He just ended up being the
creepy drunk guy who hits on anything with tits.

“
I’d rather mace myself,
but thanks for the offer. And I did you a favor. That chick was a
walking ad for Abrevia.” His face contorted into confusion. “That
extended lip liner was not an attempt to make her lips look fuller.
It was to cover up a massive case of herpes.” He pressed his fist
to his mouth as his skin turned a pale shade of green. For a moment
I thought he would lose the contents of his stomach. “You all right
there?”

Extending a finger, he closed his eyes. “I’m
good.” He stood up, stumbled and then reached over the bar for his
keys.

“
Uh, how about I call you
a cab instead?” I wasn’t so concerned about him, but more about the
innocent person he might hit.

“
Back off, Diablo.” I
rolled my eyes and reached for his keys. Extending his arm above
his, he dangled the keys just out of my reach, laughing as I tried
to jump up and grab them.

“
Knock it off Casper.
You’re too drunk to drive.” I stretched high, but even with heels
they were just out of my grasp.

“
Isn’t it your job as a
bartender to flag someone when they’ve had enough?”

I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Cas,” I warned. I jumped and he leaned to the side, holding the
keys over the bar. My heel slipped on a bottle cap, sending me
backwards. Casper swung his arm out and caught me, pressing me up
against the bar. The weight of his body was crushed up against mine
and our faces were merely inches apart. His alcohol cloaked breath
brushed across my face in tiny pants. Our eyes locked. I gazed into
his glossed over blue
-
grey eyes. They looked like the sky just before a storm. I
found myself trapped.

Gus grabbed the keys from Casper breaking
the spell. “You’re not driving and you’re taking him home,” he
pointed at me.

I flung away the arm that was barricading me
and whipped my eyes on Gus. “What?”

“
You heard me. He’s right.
He should have been cut off an hour ago. So now he’s your
responsibility.” I opened my mouth to argue. “If you want to keep
your job you’ll do it.”

“
That’s
blackmail.”

“
Yep,” was all he said,
smiling. I turned back around to Casper who had this goofy grin on
his face. I needed this job and was not going to get fired over
this asshole.

“
Fine, let’s go,” I
growled.

“
One more for the road.”
He held up his hand to order another.

“
NO!” Gus and I said
together. Casper grumbled something under his breath and waved us
off. Not watching where he was going he tripped over a stool,
fell
on his side, and rolled over on his
back, laughing. “You got to be F’in kidding me.” I looked to Gus
for some help, but he just laughed and walked away.

Just
-
fucking
-
great
.

I kicked Casper with my
shoe. “Casper, get up.” Turning on his side, Casper folded his
hands under his cheek and closed his eyes.
Oh hell no
. “GET UP!”

When he didn’t move, I
bent down and rolled him onto his
back. He
grumbled in protest. I pushed him up into a sitting position.
“Casper, wake up!” I slapped him and his eyes sprung open. He
pulled back and shook his head. “Let’s go.” I slung his arm over my
shoulder as I tucked mine safely under his to help him stand. Then
I carried his wobbly ass out.

“
I figured you to prefer
them a little more lively,” Larry, the bouncer joked as he held the
door open for us.

“
You know, you could help
me,” I growled. He rolled his eyes and threw Casper over his burly
shoulder. Larry was built like a bear. Even though Casper wasn’t
small, he was still nothing to Larry. He easily picked him up like
he was a small toddler. I flashed the lights on my brand new SUV
and opened the door for Larry to stuff Casper in the front seat.
“Thank you,” I said as Larry walked back to his post at the
entrance. I yanked on the seatbelt and stretched it over Casper’s
lap to click the latch.

“
A little to the
left.”

I turned my head to look up at Casper.
“What?”

His cocky smile was
dancing on his lips. “Didn’t know you were that kind of girl. If
you wanted to
,
all you had to do was ask.” I let go of the seatbelt, letting
it smack him in the face. He groaned placing his hand on his
jaw.
Good
.
Slamming the door shut, I walked over to the driver
side.

I slapped on my seatbelt and suggested he do
the same. “It was just a joke, Alex.”

“
You puke in my car and I
will kick your ass.” He put his arms up in surrender, clearly not
in the best state to argue. He rested his back against the headrest
and I dropped the gear into drive. His steady breaths let me know
he had passed out again. Luckily for him I knew where he lived
because of Declan. I was halfway to his place and stopped at a red
light when he sat up abruptly. He took off his seatbelt and fumbled
with the buttons on the door. “What are you doing?”

He managed to find the correct button. The
window moved down and he stuck his head out the window to vomit.
The splatter as it hit the concrete was like a bucket of water
being dumped. I leaned my elbow on the door and rested my head in
my hand. This was not happening. He sat back and wiped his mouth
with the back of his hand. “You done?” I asked, trying to hold my
breath. He nodded. I put up the window and took off. I stepped on
the gas keeping as close to the speed limit as I could. I did not
want to spend another minute with him in my car, but I also didn’t
want to get a speeding ticket.

Finally at his place, I turned off the car
knowing this would take a while. I got out and walked over to the
passenger side. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes
trying not to scream when I saw the vomit splattered door. I
couldn’t even open it because he managed to hit the handle as well.
“Casper, you have to open your door.” I was starting to lose him
again. “Casper,” I knocked on the window. He stirred, turning his
head slowly, and looked at me confused. “Open, the door.” I felt
like I was talking to a child.

“
Why can’t you do
it?”

“
Because you puked on my
car!” I yelled, losing control of my anger.

“
But I didn’t puke inside
it,” he said, like I should be happy about the
alternative.

“
Just open the door!” He
had about ten seconds before I left his ass on his front
steps.

The door swung open and he stumbled out,
falling back against the car. I sighed and wrapped my arm around
his waist. Then I used my foot to close my door. “Whoa, what
happened to your car?” Casper asked, having completely
forgotten.